Fence



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet l1.

' D. D. FRISBEE.

FENCE. No. 605,094. Patented June 7,1898.

(No Model.) v A 2 Sheets-Sheet D. D. PRISBEB.

FENCE. No. 605,094. Patented June 7, 1898.

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4UNITED?SiUiTES DANIEL D. EEIsBEE, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

' FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,094, dated J' une '7, 15898.`

Y Application filed March 2, 1898. Serial No. 672,266. (No model.)

To all whomA it may con/cern..-

Be it known that I, DANIEL D. FEIsEEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying d rawings.

The invention consists in an improvement in fences comprising pickets which are supported on the longitudinal fence-wires, the fence-wires being connected at their ends to stationary posts, and intervening tension devices for maintaining the fence-wires at all times under such suitable tension as to prevent their sagging.

The invention further vconsists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts, all as more fully hereinafterdescribed.Y Y

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a fence embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the take-up mechanism for the wire. Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 4 is a detached perspective view of the spool; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one of the pickets, illustrating a sliding connection which I preferably employ.

A B are the posts, the end post A being suitably braced, and the fence-wires C are connected to it and to a similar end post -at the opposite end of said fence.

D are the pickets. These pickets are preferably of the construction shown, comprising the section D, extending from the bottom wire to near the top, having portions wrapped around the fence-wires, and a sliding eXtension E, connected to the top wire and having a loopedl portion 'engaging with a stay below the second fence-wire. In the length of each fence-wire I place a take-up device for taking up the slack in the wire and applying a tension thereto. I

To maintain a constant tension, I preferably employ a spring F, interposed at any suitable point, to which the tension may be applied by the tension device.

To construct a take-up device vwhich shall be very simple and economical and yet which will permit-of taking up the'slack and readily applying tension to each fence-wire, I proceed as follows i I take a piece of Wire of, say, two feet more or'less in length and double it upon itself, securing the ends, as shown at a. I then take the link thus formed and double it by looping it in the middle to form the looped portions b at one end, and at the other end are theV two end portions of the link secured together by the fence-wire, as shown at G. Before securing these together I twist one portion of the link, as shown at H, which causes the strands I to widen out at an acute angle toward the loop b. I then insert in the loop b the spool J. This spool is provided with bearings K, with which the loop b engages, and within the bearing are the flan ges I., having inclined ratchets M, with which the portions I of the loop engage, as plainly shown in Fig. 2. The other end of the fence-wire being engaged with the spool .I Aand the spool turned Yby engaging a suitable tool with a square portion O,'it is evident that the Wire will be wound upon the spool, and that when the tool is removed the backward rotation of the spool is prevented by the engagement of the ratchet with the portion I, as described. Thus it will be seen that by simply supplying the spools J, which may be made for a very small price, the farmer orother person building a fence maytwist up the wire to form the looped link to go therewith, thereby greatly reducingthe expense of the ratchet device necessary in such' fences.

Where Iuse the loose link E, I may and preferably do use a heavier'spring F for the upper fence-Wire. n y

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a felice, the combination with the fence-wires,of a tension device for each fencewire, comprising a piece of wire bent into the form of a link and doubled upon itself, a spool having journals supported in the loops formed by doubling the link, iianges having side teeth on the ends of the spool with which the sides of the loop are adapted to engage, the fencewire having its adjacent ends connected to the loop and the spool respectively.

2. In a fence, the combination with the fence-wires, of atension device foreach fence- Wire, comprising a closed loopofwiredoubled IOO upon itself, its ends connected to one end of lsions I which engage with the mtehebteeth the fence-wire and the spool connected to the on lshe ila-nges, substantially as described. Io other end of said wiie7 bearings on the end In testimony whereof I allix my signature of the spool engaging in the loops in the donin presence of two witnesses.

bled portion of the link, flanges on the end DANIEL I). FRISHEE.

of the spool having inclined side teeth, one lVitnesses:

side of the doubled loop being eontmeted as M. B. ODOGHERTY, by twisting at II to forni the inclined p01- OTTO F. BARTHEL. 

